Mexican national faces deportation after statutory rape arrest

A Mexican national illegally living in Lowndes County has been arrested and charged with statutory rape.

Mario Pachencano Buenrostro, 41, of 930 Old Mayhew Road in Artesia, was arrested last week after investigators with the Lowndes County Sheriff's Department got a tip from the victim's family members. The alleged incident occurred in November 2012.

While investigators would not confirm the child's age or the relationship of Buenrostro to the victim, sources close to the investigation said the victim was an 8-year-old girl whose grandmother was dating Buenrostro.

The child, grandmother and Buenrostro were all living in the grandmother's home at the time of the incident. The young victim has since been removed from her grandmother's custody.

Investigators did not know how long Buenrostro had been living in the United States, but said he was employed at La Fiesta Restaurant in Macon.

Buenrostro is currently in the Lowndes County Adult Detention Center awaiting deportation.

Sarah Fowler covered crime, education and community related events for The Dispatch.